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Construction: Sunca and Employers Sign Pre-Agreement for Progressive Reduction of Workweek
🇺🇾 Uruguay /Energy & Infrastructure

Construction: Sunca and Employers Sign Pre-Agreement for Progressive Reduction of Workweek

From El País · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • The Construction Chamber of Uruguay and the Construction Workers Union (Sunca) have signed a preliminary labor agreement.
  • The five-year deal includes a progressive reduction of the workweek from 44 to 40 hours, starting next year.
  • This agreement aims to balance worker demands for shorter hours with business needs for flexibility and productivity.

After weeks of intense negotiations, Uruguay's construction sector has reached a preliminary labor agreement. The Construction Chamber of Uruguay and the National Union of Construction and Annexes (Sunca) signed a pre-accord that will span five years.

After several intense days of negotiations, the pre-agreement is being signed; I am authorized to say so because I just spoke with the representatives of the business sector.

— Alejandro RuibalThe president of the Construction Chamber of Uruguay confirmed the signing of the preliminary labor agreement.

Alejandro Ruibal, president of the Construction Chamber, confirmed the agreement, highlighting that it addresses the reduction of the workweek from 44 to 40 hours. He noted that this change comes with "some counter-performances and flexibilities" for employers, indicating a compromise between worker demands and business operational needs.

the agreement takes into account the reduction of the workweek from 44 to 40 hours, with some counter-performances and flexibilities.

— Alejandro RuibalRuibal described the key components of the labor agreement.

Richard Ferreira, president of Sunca, detailed the timeline for the workweek reduction. He stated that the decrease will be implemented "progressively starting next year, first with one hour per week." The union anticipates reaching the 40-hour workweek by 2030. Currently, the standard workweek is 44 hours, with nine-hour days from Monday to Thursday and eight hours on Friday.

progressively starting next year, first with one hour per week. In 2030 we will be reaching 40 hours.

— Richard FerreiraThe president of Sunca explained the phased implementation of the reduced workweek.

The agreement marks a significant step in labor relations within the construction industry, balancing the long-standing union goal of reduced working hours with the economic realities and operational requirements of the sector. Both parties have committed to a phased approach, allowing for adjustments and ensuring continued productivity.

Today we have a 44-hour weekly regime, in which nine are distributed from Monday to Thursday and eight on Friday.

— Richard FerreiraFerreira detailed the current workweek structure.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El País in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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